Do You Know the Peace that Passes Understanding?
By Tom Bartlett
People who know me often call me a pessimist. And when I look at life from their perspective I understand where they are coming from. But they are dead wrong. From my own point of view, I am a realist, someone who looks honestly at the moral and spiritual decline of Canadian society and boldly declares the inevitable crash at the end of today’s trajectory. Sounding warnings that we have very little time left to enjoy our rights and freedoms, as I frequently do, is usually perceived as pessimism. The real question is, am I right to be concerned?
Let me explain how I became the man I am. Throughout most of my childhood and adolescence, I was bullied mercilessly. The result? I withdrew into myself. For the most part, I avoided people and escaped to TV land, with music as an outlet for venting emotions. In childhood I was quite reckless and “accident prone.” Now I understand I did not much care about my life or my safety. It was only through a developing relationship with Christ and the strength I drew from Him that I avoided becoming another teen suicide statistic. Christ changed my outlook, then my attitude. With His help I broke free of my self-imposed isolation.
“It was only through a developing relationship with Christ and the strength I drew from Him that I avoided becoming another teen suicide statistic.”
With God’s help the crucible of tribulation led to inner peace. I learned to put God’s promises to the test and was never disappointed. Such knowledge is nothing less than the grace of God in my life. The promised Holy Spirit helped me overcome obstacles I could never manage on my own. So, let me say it again. Adversity was my training ground. In my worst moments Christ showed me that I could either remain cut off from others or trust that He would be true to his promise to never leave me nor forsake me.
“Just as the true test of love is to love our enemies, true peace is not shaken by storms.”
My sense is that too many Christians have lost sight of what it means to experience peace amid life’s storms. Just as the true test of love is to love our enemies, true peace is not shaken by storms. Peace that only prevails when life is smooth is worldly peace, only a substitute for God’s peace. Moreover, it is a false peace if it comes at the cost of denying reality and sidestepping the difficulties of life. In fact, the Christian does not possess true peace until it can be recognized as something separate from feelings, a gift from God that allows us to control our feelings, including overcoming temptations to panic.
Keep in mind that Jesus promised the disciples His peace just before he, and they, entered the greatest trials of their lives:
A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. – John 16:32-33
In speaking of his impending death and the cowardice his disciples would exhibit, Jesus assures them that even when they desert Him and deny Him, they will not be alone:
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:26-27
Here is one of the most amazing promises in all the Bible. Just as Jesus had assurance of peace as He faced death on the cross, so too, His disciples could rest in the promise God would comfort them throughout His trial, crucifixion, and burial. To watch Jesus suffer and die must have been one of the hardest moments the disciples would ever have to endure. In the same way, the death of any loved one is perhaps the most challenging time anyone can face, especially if the loved one suffers beforehand. Yet the guarantee of peace to His followers is woven through Christ’s words. With persecution, torture, and martyrdom ahead, the apostles certainly had plenty of reasons not to have a peaceful easy feeling—not one that could be achieved by an act of will, anyway. Nevertheless, the writings of Peter, James, Jude, and Paul all praise the virtue of peace.
God’s promises hold true today. In Christ I have found reason for hope, and it has transformed my life. As a boy I lacked confidence in myself, but in the providence of God my lack of self-confidence led me to pursue objective truth that existed beyond my limited capabilities. I researched the best arguments for all the most divisive issues, testing them against reality, Scripture, and logic. I ran Biblical teachings through the prism of real-world application and logic to discover the Bible has answers that far surpass those found in man-made philosophies. My confidence skyrocketed as I discovered that without Scripture knowledge, even intelligent people can be led to deny self-evident truths.
“By God’s grace, I now find that my early experiences with bullying have granted me unique insights into others’ sufferings.”
By God’s grace, I now find that my early experiences with bullying have granted me unique insights into others’ sufferings. The boy who turned inward as a way of controlling his circumstances has been transformed into a warrior for truth, able to stand up to insults and opposition without nursing any residual sting. In other words, my capacity to love and forgive others goes far beyond anything I could ever manage on my own. In Christ I have found peace, not in spite of, but because of the hardships of life. After all, we should not be defined by our circumstances but refined through them.
This is not to say I do not have regrets. My newfound zeal has made me a pariah in some eyes. I sometimes must be reminded that the line between being informed and being immersed in truth’s minutia can be erased, and not in a good way. Balance is always paramount, and Scripture reminds us of that. The Bible must be the north star that corrects our course.
True peace is not found through being handed lemons and making lemonade, but by looking at the world as it is, putting on the armour of Christ and fighting His battles while remembering to not lose sight of the individuals involved. Relying on the Holy Spirit to direct our path and use us for God’s purposes is the path to peace.
Romans 12:9-21 is one of my favourite passages, and at the same time one of the most challenging:
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
The challenges in this passage have led me to start a personal blog intended to reach non-believers. While Satan is busy radicalizing the culture and stoking division I will endeavour to offer an accurate representation of issues based on the Christian worldview. Since activists have managed to frame the issues and sell the culture on a caricature of Christianity, I will endeavour to correct these deceptions. With God’s help I hope to end the practise of treating others as social constructs and extend an olive branch in the interest of fostering peace and understanding. Ultimately, my hope is to convict readers of the truth of Scripture and lead them to bend the knee to Christ now rather than when they die.
I challenge everyone to seek the peace of Christ in these turbulent times and not be like those without hope.
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